Since 1958, Americans have marked Oct. 16 as National Boss Day to salute people in supervisory
positions — all 6.4 million of them (give or take a few).

Instead of cards or flowers, though,
The Dispatch is noting the occasion with a trip down memory lane.

Here’s a sampling of what central Ohioans had to say about the first boss they ever had:

Encouraging words

I’m here to make your job easier.

The words still bring tears to my eyes, even though I’m newly retired from teaching.

My first principal in the Worthington district said them (and meant them).

No other principals I worked for stood by teachers the way Paul Zenisek did.

Many said they did, and others pretended they did, but he truly tried to make our lives
easier.

I remember him once calling over the public-address system: “It’s a beautiful day out there,
people; get your work done and go enjoy it!”

I remember some older teachers trying to bully this young teacher, and he stood up for me, the
new kid.

Wouldn’t it be great if all bosses had this philosophy?

If all people had this philosophy?

— Suzanne Laird, 55, Westerville

Enduring advice

My first boss was Bill Jilek, president of Bank One of Wooster.

When I was promoted to a management position, he gave me some unexpected but excellent
advice.

Bill told me that, now that I was a manager, the bank was going to expect more of a time
commitment from me. But if the job ever got in the way of my family, he told me, I should walk away
from it — that I could always find another job. Family couldn’t be replaced, he said, and was more
important than any job would ever be.

— Keith Crabtree, 61, Reynoldsburg

One-of-a-kind kudos

I was a recent graduate of Bowling Green State University when Herb Liss, owner of the
Cincinnati Downtowner newspaper, hired me.

I was 22, ready to hit the streets selling “space.”

In our weekly sales meetings, he would give us “toots” for a good week — by blowing an old
wooden train horn!

I learned a lot about developing client relationships and selling from Herb.

— Katy Brown, 41,

Dublin

Subtle humor

What I recall about my first boss are his dry sense of humor and the love he had for his
employees.

He was a businessman and a family man. He chose to show an arrogant attitude, which made it hard
to read him at times.

I was in middle school when I first started working at the family-owned dollar store in
Columbus. I learned a lot.

From my experience, it’s all about respect.

— Orville Sharp IV, 23,

Columbus

Talking points

My first job, directly out of high school, was as secretary to eight professors at Bowling
Green.

My boss, the chairman of the department, always had a pipe in his mouth.

When he would use the dictating machine, he would talk with his pipe in his mouth — which made
his words mumbly-jumbly.